The American made Beseler 23CIII-XL Variable Contrast Enlarger is one of the world's most popular medium format enlargers. Well over half a million have been purchased since it first became available in 1955. Many have been in near continuous use by schools, government agencies and businesses, and countless others have been handed down from father to son, to granddaughter, like the well-loved family possession that it has become.
The Variable Contrast Lightsource that is supplied with this enlarger features simple, one knob adjustment for continuously variable contrast of -0 to +5. This versatile Lightsource also permits the user to store and to retrieve the contrast characteristics of up to three different brands of V-C paper in individually selectable channels. The Lightsource is interchangeable with the Dichro 23 Colorhead (No.8133-02) and with Condenser lamphouse (8131-020).
The extraordinarily rigid, extra-long twin-girder construction of the 23Clll-XL helps to reduce transient vibrations, which can detract from image sharpness.